Pokemon Learning League Stress Management
by Storalwhit
Summary: In this one, Ash and the gang come to Canalave City to have a relaxing day. Afterwards, they find a small group working a Pokemon wrestling film.


Pokémon Learning League

Stress Management

Written By

Timothy Whitfield

_(Episode opens with Ash, Pikachu, Cilan, Iris, Axew, Serena, Clemont, Bonnie and Dedenne on a blimp en route for Canalave City on a clear blue sunny afternoon with a small breeze in the air and Bonnie casually speaks to the audience.)_

Bonnie: Oh, hi guys.

Dedenne: Dede.

Cilan: Hello, there.

Iris: Hi.

Axew: Axew.

Clemont: Hello.

Ash: Hey, guys.

Pikachu: Pika-chu.

Serena: Hey.

_(She turns to Ash.)_

Serena: So, Ash, is Canalave City a nice place?

Ash: It sure is, Serena. You guys are going to like it.

_(They look down and see Canalave City below them. The blimp comes down and lands on a tarmac. The door opens and they all get out. Their hair blows in the breeze. Ash stretches out his arms.)_

Ash: Ahh. Doesn't that feel good?

Pikachu _(agreeing)_: Pika-chu.

Serena: Yeah, it sure does.

(They leave the tarmac and head to another part of the island. A half hour later, they come to a clearing, where it's very calm, some Starly in the trees and there are some flowers in the field.)

_(Ash's stomach grumbles. He puts his hands over it.)_

Ash: Oh, I guess it's time for lunch.

Pikachu: Pika.

Clemont: All right, then.

_(They set up the table and lay out the plates, glasses, utensils and napkins. Minutes later, they have freshly-made spaghetti, pumpkin cornbread, Pavlova, meat pie, milkshakes and blackberry cobbler laid out. They start eating some of it.)_

All _(really satisfied)_: Mmm.

Axew _(really satisfied)_: Axew.

Dedenne _(really satisfied)_: Dede.

Pikachu _(really satisfied)_: Pika.

Iris: This is really delicious.

Ash: Yeah. You guys did a great job with this.

Cilan and Clemont: Thanks.

Cilan: Those were some really good recipes you had, Clemont.

Clemont: Thank you, Cilan. Same to you.

_(They continue eating their lunch. Moments later, they're doing various things. Bonnie plays around with the Pokemon. Pikachu and Fennekin playfully chase each other around.)_

Pikachu _(playfully)_: Pika.

Fennekin _(playfully)_: Fenne.

Bonnie _(playfully)_: I'm going to get you guys!

_(She starts chasing after them. Fennekin opens her mouth and forms a light blue and blue ball of energy in front of it. She fires the ball at Bonnie, but she moves out of the way of it.)_

Bonnie: Nice try.

_(Pan over to Axew and Dedenne playing with each other.)_

Axew: Axew.

Dedenne: Dede.

_(Dedenne turn around and fires a small bolt of yellow electricity at Axew, hitting him and giving him a tingle.)_

Axew _(giggling)_: Axew, Axew.

_(Now, we pan over to see Iris sitting under a tree. She sighs with nostalgic fondness as she watches them playing.) _

Dedenne: Dede.

Axew: Axew, Axew.

_(Dedenne fires another bolt of electricity, but Axew jumps out of the way and it heads for Iris.)_

Iris: Whoa!

_(She leaps out of the way and the blast hits the tree. She gets up.)_

Iris: Hey!

_(Axew and Dedenne look over with worry.)_

Axew _(worried)_: Axew?

Dedenne _(worried)_: Dede?

Iris _(playfully)_: You two are in for it now!

_(They both move fast and she playfully comes after them.)_

Iris: Get back here!

_(No, we pan over to see Serena practicing some dance moves and Cilan watches her. She points both of her feet forward, then slides the left one forward and bends her knee. She keeps her back straight and points her right foot, then places her hands down next to her left foot. She shifts her weight onto her right hand and raises her left one until it points at the sky. Then, she returns to the starting position and repeats the move to the right side. Finally, she does a short clockwise spin. She stops back on her feet)_

Serena: So, what do you think of that?

Cilan: I have to say, that was very good.

Serena: Thanks.

Cilan: In fact I'd like to show you something that'll make it a little better.

Serena: What?

Cilan: Just watch.

_(He does a side twist and the Tendu.)_

Serena: That's amazing.

Cilan: Yep. If you want, I'll teach them to you.

Serena: All right.

_(We pan over to see Ash and Clemont sparring off. Ash is using Froakie and Clemont uses Bunnelby.)_

Ash: Froakie, use Water Pulse!

Froakie: Froakie.

_(It creates a blue sphere of energy from in between its hands and fires it at Bunnelby, which explodes into a wave of water.)_

Clemont: Use Double Team!

_(Bunnelby's body glows white and creates multiple copies of itself, who take the hit of the water pulse and they disappear.) _

Clemont: Now, Bunnelby, use Mud Shot!

_(It creates a golden sphere from between its ears. The sphere breaks into several balls of mud, which are fired at Froakie.)_

Ash: Counter with Bubble!

_(He fires several clear bubble from his mouth at the Mud Shot and collides with it, canceling it out.)_

Clemont: That was a good move, Ash.  
>Ash: Thanks. Froakie, use Cut!<p>

Froakie: Froakie!

_(It forms a white needle on one of his hands and strikes Bunnelby with it, doing some damage.)_

Clemont: Use Dig!

_(It jumps up in the air and, using its ears, drills a hole into the ground. Then, it pops up underneath it and directly strikes it, doing some damage.)_

Ash: All right, Froakie, now use—

_(Just then, Ash hears something nearby.)_

Ash: What was that?

Clemont: I don't know. Let's go and see.

Ash: Froakie, return.

_(He calls him back to his Pokeball and puts it away.)_

Clemont: You too, Bunnelby.

_(He calls it back to its Pokeball and puts it away.)_

Ash: _(calls to the others.)_ Hey, guys.

_(They all stop what they're doing and listen to him.)_

Serena: What is it, Ash?

Ash: There's something going on nearby and we're going to check it out.

Serena: Oh. Hang on, you two. We're coming.

_(They head over to another part of the field, where they find a man named Steven and a woman named Linda setting for a scene with an actress named Talia and her Electabuzz with her friend, an actor named Black and his Tyranitar. Steven has coiffed black hair, brown eyes, wears aviator eyeglasses, a buttoned blue and green shirt, blue jeans and sneakers. Linda has long, flowing blonde hair, light blue eyes, wears lipstick, a dress and high heels. Talia has short brown hair, black eyes, a muscular body, an exercise outfit and sports shoes. Black has dark brown hair, brown eyes, a black fedora hat, a logo T-shirt, vinyl pants and short boots. Steven spots them coming over.) _

Cilan: Hello.

Steven: Hi there. I'm Steven. And this is Linda, Talia and Black.

Others: Hey.

Linda: Nice to meet you.

Cilan: Thank you. I'm Cilan.

Bonnie: I'm Bonnie. This is Dedenne.

Dedenne: Dede.

Ash: I'm Ash, and this is Pikachu.

Pikachu: Pika, Pikachu.

Iris: I'm Iris, and this is Axew.

Axew: Axew.

Clemont: I'm Clemont.

Serena: And I'm Serena.

Ash: What are you guys doing?

Steven: We're working on our first movie.

Clemont _(intrigued)_: Really? What's it about?

Linda: It's about a down-and-out wrestler named Sarona who is given a chance to face off against the current wrestling champion, Mark Cardona.

Cilan: That sounds pretty good. Which scene are you doing now?

Linda: This is where Talia's character has high doubts about the match and her friend is going to give her a little confidence boost.

Cilan: Oh, okay.

Steven: All right, you guys ready?

Talia and Black: Yeah.

Steven: Okay. And action!

_(Talia and Electabuzz walks into the scene with a depressed look on her face and sighs. Black spots her.)_

Black: Hey, Sarona. How's the training coming?

Talia _(depressed)_: It's coming along well, Janusz.

Black: What's wrong?

Talia: Well, as great as it'll be to face off against the champion, would it really be all worth it?

_(Steven lifts up his glasses, closes his eyes, rubs his forehead and sighs.)_

Steven: Cut!

_(He walks over to them, a little sweat on his face and tense.)_

Black: What's wrong now?

Steven: _(stressfully sighs.)_ How you were saying the lines was fine, but Talia, you should've entered on the right, feeling like you really have no chance of beating him.

Talia: Um, okay.

Steven _(tensely)_: And Black, you need to be more comforting and supportive.

Black: All right, then.

_(He rubs his eyes.)_

Steven: Okay, guys. Let's take a break.

_(He walks back to his spot like he's angry. Talia and Black go over to Linda.)_

Serena: Uh, what's up with Steven?

Linda: He's just getting stressed out.

Serena _(understanding)_: I see.

Linda: You see, there's a big film festival coming up in a few weeks.

Ash: Oh.

Linda: Yeah, so as you can imagine, that's putting a lot of pressure on him and the others to make this look good.

Cilan: Have they done anything about it?

Linda: No, I'm afraid they hasn't.

Cilan: Well, maybe Diana can help him with this. _(He pulls out the PokePilot and calls Diana, who is outside the HQ, filming Ada and Quinn doing crazy thing to each other.)_

Diana: Hey, guys. How are you doing?

Serena: Great, Diana. You guys still filming each other?

Diana: Yep. Ada and Quinn are doing some of the craziest things yet.

Ash: Really?

Diana: Oh, yeah. _(She spots Linda.)_ Oh, hello there.

Linda: Hi. I'm Linda. And this is Talia and Black.

Talia: Hello.

Black: Hey, there.

Diana: It's nice to meet you. So, what are you guys up to?

Iris: We were just relaxing, then we found these guys working on a movie.

Diana: Oh, that sounds good.

Clemont: Yeah, except they only have a few weeks to do it before a big film festival, so they're under some stress. Do you know any way they can deal with it?

Diana: Of course. One thing you can do is to minimize some of the more stressful situations. What you can do is make things more pleasant for yourself, avoid certain ones and try not to rush through anything.

Ash: That sounds good. What else is there?

Diana: Another way is to consider what you can control. Well, what I mean is look at some of the stressors that you can control and work out what action should be taken. Let's say, if you're working on a big project, break it down into smaller tasks.

Serena: Okay, what other way can they do it?

Diana: They can try learning to deal with it. There are many ways this can be done, like think about what you're going to say before you say it, remembering that it's better to be happy than right, or don't be passive-aggressive and just talk it out.

Bonnie: Is there anything else?

Diana: Yes, there is. One other way is to address those situations. Many people feel a lot better when they address them directly, rather than do nothing at all, and there are many ways this can be done. For example, if you're stressing about a trip, iron out the details ahead of time.

Talia: You really think those will help?

Diana: They sure can, but here's something interesting: sometimes, stress can be a good thing. This is known as eustress. When you engage in a battle, are in any kind of competition or do or see anything exciting, this is what you get.

Cilan: That's interesting.

Diana: It is, Cilan. So, how about I show you guys something?

Bonnie: Of course, Diana.

Dedenne: Dede.

_(Pan down to a lower panel.)_

Diana: You guys up for it?

Iris: You bet.

Axew: Axew.

Diana: Okay, then. Here, this man is working on a big Pokemon project for someone and only has three weeks to get it done. How do you think he should handle it?

Talia: He should think about what he can control.

Diana: Okay, Talia. This couple is worrying about what could happen on their upcoming trip with their Pokemon. How do you think they should handle it?

Ash: They should address it head on.

Diana: Very well, Ash. Now, this young woman is having trouble teaching her Pokemon a new move and it's getting tougher. How do you think she should handle it?

Serena: She should minimize some of her most stressful situations.

Diana: All right, Serena. Finally, this girl here is going to talk to new trainers about what it'll take to be a great breeder, but she's very nervous. How do you think she should handle it?

Black: She should try to deal with it.

Diana: Very well, Black. That was very good, guys.

Clemont: Thanks, Diana.

Diana: No problem, Clemont.

Quinn _(off-screen)_: Diana, you're up next!

Diana: Okay, coming! I better go, guys. See you later.

Ash: See you, Diana.

Pikachu: Pika-chu.

_(Cilan puts away the Pokepilot.)_

Ash: So, what do you guys say we do something before we help Steven out?

Cilan: Okay, Ash, but let's see if the viewers are up for it.

Serena: Sure thing. _(She glances over to the viewers.)_ Hey, you guys want to do it? _(She casually waits for an answer from the viewers for one second.)_ Oh, okay.

Linda: Um, do you guys do that a lot?

Cilan: Yeah, we do.

Linda: Oh. Well, isn't that a little silly?

Cilan: Well, yeah it can be, but the audience is always helpful by this point.

Linda _(understanding)_: I see.

_(Cut to many people in various situations.)_

Cilan: All right, let's get to it. Here, this boy is working on some Contest moves with his Pokemon and is having trouble getting them to look just right. What do you think he should do here? _(He casually waits for an answer from the viewers for one second.)_ He should address it. Very well.

Iris: This girl is taking care of these young Pokemon and has a lot to do. What do you think she should do here? _(She casually waits for an answer from the viewers for one second.)_ Control what she can do. All right.

Bonnie: Here, this man and woman aren't sure how to tell each other how they feel for one another. What do you think they should do here? _(She casually waits for an answer from the viewers for one second.)_ Try to learn to deal with it. Sure, why not.

Clemont: Finally, this girl has deal with a very disobedient Pokemon. What do you think she should do here? _(He casually waits for an answer from the viewers for one second.)_ Try to minimize some of the situations he has to go through. Okay, then.

_(Cut back to them and Iris casually speaks.)_

Iris: You did well, you guys.

Axew: Axew.

Linda: Hey, thanks guys. This'll really be a big help.

Cilan: Hey, it was no problem, Linda.

_(She walks over to Steven.)_

Linda: Hey, Steven.

Steven: Yes, Linda?

Linda: I got something to tell you.

_(A few minutes later.)_

Linda: Well, do you think that'll help you out?

Steven _(hesitantly)_: I guess so. Let's give it a try.

Linda: Oh, good.

_(He, Black and Talia come together.)_

Steven: All right, guys. Let's give it another go. Talia, I want to come in from the right, thinking about the match and having high doubts about it.

Talia: Okay, Steven.

Steven: Very well, then. Black, when you go over to encourage her, make it so that you really mean what you're saying, like a true friend would.

Black: Okay, then.

Steven: All right, guys. Get into place.

_(Black, Tyranitar, Electabuzz and Talia get into their places.)_

Steven: And action!

_(Talia and Electabuzz walks into the scene from the right. Talia has a doubtful look on her face, her arms down and sighs. Black spots her coming.)_

Black: Hey, there Sarona. How are you doing today?

Talia _(depressed)_: I'm doing fine, Janusz.

_(She sits down on the ground and looks up at the sky. Electabuzz comforts her.)_

Black: Is there anything wrong?

Talia: No. It's just, will this really be all worth it? I mean, there's no way we're going to beat them.

_(Black walks over to her and looks her in the eye.)_

Black _(honestly and sincerely)_: Sarona, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event. This could be your only chance to show everyone that you've got what it takes. Sure, you can't beat them, but you can try to last with them.

Sarona: You really think so?

Black: Yeah.

_(She briefly thinks for a minute.)_

Talia _(confidently)_: All right, I'll do it!

Electabuzz: Electa!

Black: That's the spirit! Let's get to the gym.

Tyranitar: _(grunts in agreement.)_

Steven: Cut! That was great, guys.

Both: Thank you.

Ash: Hey, Steven. Do you think we could be in the film?

Steven: Of course. You can play some of the supporting roles.

All: All right!

Pikachu _(excited)_: Pika-chu!

Axew _(excited)_: Axew!

Clemont: Steven, I'd like to help out with some of the technical stuff.

Steven: Very well, then. Let's get moving.

_(They pack up the equipment leave the park and head off to a gym, where they set up for the next scene.)_

Steven: All right, everyone, for this scene Sarona is going to do some rigorous training. Talia, don't hold anything back and really get into it.

Talia: You got it.

Steven: The rest of you, do as many exercises as you can to make the place seem really busy.

Others: Okay.

Steven: All right, then. Action!

_(Talia does some one arm push-ups while switching between each arm while having a determined look on her face. Electabuzz does the same.)_

Talia: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10!

Black _(encouraging)_: That's it, you two! Keep it up!

_(They keep going on it. A montage of Talia and Electabuzz doing various exercises, from punching the punching bag, doing leg squats, crunches and lifts weights. An hour later, they go to another part of the city.)_

Steven: Now, this is where you start running across the city.

Clemont: Hang on, I got something we can use for this.

_(He sets up a camera with flexible, mechanical legs.)_

Linda: That's incredible, Clemont.

Clemont: Thanks.

_(He turns it on and programs it.)_

Steven: Action!

_(Clemont presses a button and Talia starts running. The camera starts running along the side with her. The others keep up with them. Talia starts sprinting and the camera does the same. Then, it runs ahead of her while still keeping focus on her. They make a few twists and turns across the city. A few minutes later, they come to the Canalave Library. Talia runs up the steps and the camera follows. She reaches the top of them and the camera circles her while she does a little dance. Moments later, they all head to the Pokemon for some dinner.)_

Cilan: Talia that was some amazing running.

Talia: Thank you, Cilan.

Clemont: By the way, who came up with the story?

Linda: Talia's the one.

Iris: Really? That's pretty cool.

Talia: Yep.

Serena: What made you decide to do it?

Talia: It was very personal to me and I decided I really wanted to do it. Afterwards, I went searching for the right producer and director. It was there when I met Steven and Linda. They showed me some of the short films they had done together, and I thought they were really intriguing and touching, so I thought they'd be great for this.

Ash: Oh. So, what scenes still need to be done?

Steven: Next is the one where Sarona meets her love interest, then the one where the champ makes the offer, and finally, the climatic wrestling match.

Cilan: Okay. So, how do you think the film will look?

Steven: I think it'll look very well.

Cilan: Well, that's good.

_(They all turn to the audience.)_

All: Thanks, guys.

Pikachu: Pikachu.

Axew: Axew.

_(Cut to them outside the Pokemon center.)_

Ash: Well, that was a pretty good episode. Did you enjoy it? _(He casually waits for an answer from the viewers for one second.)_ Oh, all right. Then, we'll see you later.

Pikachu: Pika.

_(They casually wave goodbye to the audience and they head off to continue filming. Everything fades to black, ending the episode.)_


End file.
